Holder for tubular casings, as for match-boxes or the like.



W. S. NICHOLS. HOLDER FOR TUBULAR .CASlNGS,AS FOR MATCH BOXES OR THELIKE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 19. 19-15.

1 1 9?,945 Patented Sept. 12, 1916.

WINFIELID s. NICHOLS, 0E NEWARK, NEW EnsEnAssIcnon 0E ONE-HALF T0WILLIAM A. EwIs, 0E NEWARK, NEW JEEsEY.

HOLDER FOR TUBULAR CASINGS, AS FOR MATCH-FOXES OR THE LIKE.

Application filed June 19, 1915.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WINrrnLn S. NIoI-IoLs, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of Newark, county of Essex,and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and usefulImprovementsin Holders for Tubular Casings, as for Match-Boxes or thelike, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved holder, and is adapted to receivetubular casings, and while it is possible to utilize the device in agreat many different ways, it is particularly designed for-the purposeof holding match boxes of the small kind, which boxes contain matchesofthe safety type which are struck on the side of the box, .the box whenin the holder being so supported that the tray projects above thetubular casing or shook so that the matches are projected slightly abovethe top and can be easily withdrawn. In holders of this kind the box issubjected to a side thrust when a match is pressed against it to scratchthe match to light it, and my invention is designed to provide apositive gripping means which holds the box against tilting in theholder.

Another object of theinvention is to provide a holder of this kind inwhich the gripping means is' practically concealed and does not detractfrom the appearance of the holder, it being possible in. my device toconceal the gripping means when the match box is in place and-at thesame time provide a convenient disposition of the parts so that when itis desired to release the boxthis can be easily accomplished.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of thiskind in which the insertion of the box is facilitated byreason of theformation of the cooperating gripping parts, and also one in'which theinstallation or removal of a box can be quickly accomplished,andtheoperation of the device is assured on account of its simplicity.

The invention is subjectv to numerous changes, and minor modificationscan be made without departing from the scope of the invention, but Ihave shown several embodiments of my invention in .the accompanyingdrawing, in which Figure .1 is a face view of a'holder with aSpecification of Letters Patent.

Patent-ed Sept. 12, 1915.

Serial No. 35,092.

box of matches in place. Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2'in Fig'rl butwith the tray of the box shown in elevation and broken away at the top,as'is usually done to make it easier to withdraw a match. Fig. 3 is adetailed perspective showing some parts of the gripping mechanism shownin Fig. 2, these parts being shown separated to more clearly illustratetheir construction. Fig. 41 is a detailed perspective of the grippingparts in place, this view showing a'modification embodying only one edgeto grip one side of the box. Fig. 5 is a section similar to Fig. 2 butshowing a modified form of construction.

In my improved device the base can be formed in any suitable way and canbe provided with means for maintaining it in different positions onpieces of furniture or on the wall, but I illustrate in the drawing aholder, the base of which is formed into a tray of the usual ashreceiving type, although many other forms can be employed.

vflhebase illustrated consists of a substantially flat portion .10 witha marginal rim 11 merging'into the raised part 12 which forms the topportion of the base and is recessed, this recess 13 being preferablyplaced ,in the center and forming the abutments 14.

The recess 13 is made wide enough to re ceive the tubular casing that isto be gripped, and when the device is used as a holder for match boxesit receives the tubular part 15 of the match box, which part inclosesthe sliding tray 16. One or both ends 17 of the casing 15 are providedwith a composition that is used to assist in igniting the match. Thematches 18 are illustrated as being placed in the usual way in the tray16, and when a match is withdrawn its head 19 is pressed and rubbedagainst the side 17 of the match box and it is gnited. Thetray issometimes broken off substantially level with the top of the casing 15to give better access to the matches. The tray is shown thus broken awayas at 20 in Fig. 2. In order to raise the tray inrelation to the casing15 I provide an anvil 21 which rests in the recess 13 and providesenough space between its sides 22 and the side walls 23 of the recess 13to receive the sides of the casing 15 of the matchbox. This spaceloosely receives the sides of;the match box and I provide means.chamfered as at 23, these chamfered parts receiving wedges 2 1, whlchwedges have, the r inner faces '25 inclined or beveled to fit the faces23. The anvilis provided with means for forcing it'downward to press thewedges apart and thus grip them: tightly against the sides of'the matchbox. One

formbf operating the anvil to accomplish this consists in providing ascrew 26 which projects through the bottom wall 27 of the recess 13 andis provided with a nut 28, in the form shown this being a thumb nut. Tofacilitate the release of the box I provide a spring 29, the tension ofwhich is overcome when the nut 28 is screwed down, but which spring aidsto raise the anvil when the nut 28 is unscrewed, the raising of theanvil acting to permit the retreat of the wedges '21 and thus releasethe match box. This construction is substantially concealed when thematchbox is in place, and I prefer; to compactly dispose of the parts byforming a recessed portion 30 in the bottom of the base so that suitableoperating means, such as the nut, can be used without any danger ofscratching or marring thefurniture on which the tray rests.

In Fig. 4 is illustrated a device similar to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, butshowing only one wedge, the recess 31 between the anvil 21 and theabutment lei being adapted to receive one side of the casing of thematch box, the

other opening 32 being adapted to receive the wedge 33 which is pressedoutward by the'movement of the anvil 21, which can be accomplished in amannersimilar to that shown in Fig. 2. While the gripping actionin thissecond construction is not quite so positive as when two wedges areused, in some forms oflight boxes it is suflicient to hold the box inplace. The anvil 21 in the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4: ispreferably made long enough to substantiallyffit the box sidewise sothat the ends 34 of the anvil assist, by bearing against the side edgesof the casing 15, in holding the box perpendicular.

-When the spring '29 raises the anvil 21 after the unscrewingofthe thumbscrew 29 and the box casing 15 is to be inserted, it

sometimeshappens that the wedges 24: are inthe path of the box, and toavoid the necessity of getting. some narrow instrument to getlthem intoposition when the 3 box is to be'inserted, I provide the wedges withinclined top edges 35 so that the box isguided into place and the wedgesare Q forced inward to permit the box to be pushed down into place. Thebox can be further guided. by the round ends 36 of the anvil 21. B5

In Fig. 5'Iillustrate a modified'form in lock nuts 11- and also by theheads 45 of the screws 1-1. A suitably disposed spring normally forcesthe wedges to their operative position, and in the form illustrated thespring 16 abut on the bar 13 and on the other end against the part -12of the base. This manipulating means just described is preferably in therecessed bottom part 30 of the base, and when the bar 4:3 is pressedupagainst the pressure of the spring 16 the wedges 39 can be separatedenough to permit a box to slide in between the faces of the wedges 39and the outer face of the anvil 37. lVhen the bar 4L3 is released thespring it pushes down on the bar, which in turn pulls down on the screws4-1 and the wedges are forced inward and tightly grip the side walls ofthe casing 15 of the match box.

It will thus be seen that these devices are simple, arc cheaply made, donot detract from the appearance of the holder and are positive in theiroperation.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. A holder comprising a base having a.

recess therein for receiving a tubular casing, a gripping means in awall of the recess, and means for forcing said gripping means from saidwall.

2. A box holder comprising a base having a recess therein for receivinga tubular casing, a wedge in a wall of the recess, and a sliding meansfor engaging the wedge to force it from said wall.

3. A box holder comprising a base having two substantially parallelnarrow openings, a movable gripping means in a wall of one ofsaid'openings, and means for forcing said gripping means from the wallto project into the opening.

4:. A box holder comprising a base having two substantially parallelnarrow openings, a wall of one of said openings being recessed, anda'gripping piece in said recess, the opposed faces of the recess and thegripping piece being formed to force the gripping piece toward or fromthe opening when the faces undergo relative movement.

5J1 box holder comprising a base having two substantially parallelnarrow openings,

a wall of one of said openings being relpiece being formed to force thegripping piece toward or from the opening when the faces undergorelative movement, and means for moving the parts to force the grippingmeans into the opening.

6. A box holder comprising a base having an anvil thereon to fit in atubular casing, abutments flanking the anvil at a slight distancetherefrom, a Wedge in the space between an abutment and the anvil, andmeans for sliding the wedge to grip a casing in the holder.

7. A box holder comprising a base having a box receiving recess in itstop face, gripping means movable in said recess, and means extending tothe bottom of the base for manipulating the gripping means.

8. A box holder comprising a base having a box receiving recess in itstop face, gripping means movable in said recess, the base having arecessed part in the bottom, and operating means for said grippingmeans, said operating means extending to the recessed part to providefor its operation and to normally conceal said operating means.

9. A box holder comprising a base having a cut away part in its topface, an anvil slidable in the cut away part and having a chamferedface, a wedge having its beveled face to fit against the chamfered faceof the anvil, and means for moving and holding the anvil in its lockedposition.

10. A box holder comprising a base having a cut away part in its topface, an anvil slidable in the cut away part and having a chamferedface, a Wedge having its beveled face to fit against the chamfered faceof the anvil, the base having a recessed portion in the bottom, a rod onthe anvil extending into the recessed portion of the bottom, a springfor yieldingly forcing the anvil to releasing position, and means forovercoming the tension of the spring.

11. A box holder comprising a base having a cut away part at the top, ananvil fitting in the cut away part, the opposed faces of the anvil andthe base forming substantially parallel narrow openings for thereception of a tubular casing, the anvil having a chamfered side, awedge having a beveled face to engage the chamfered side of the anviland having its top edge tapered to serve as a guide for the casing whenthe casing is inserted in the holder, a screvvthreaded post on the anvilextending into the base, a spring acting to force the anvil to aninoperative position, and a nut on the screw-threaded post forovercoming the tension of the spring.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing, I have hereunto set my hand,this 16th day of June, 1915.

WINFIELD S. NICHOLS.

' Witness:

CHAS. F. SCHNEIDER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0.

